SEWHA Constitution (1989-2024)

This document was superseded by the ratification of a revised constitution on 1 September 2024.

Constitution of the Southeast World History Association (SEWHA)

ARTICLE I

The name of this society shall be the Southeast World History Association (SEWHA)

ARTICLE II

The object of the association shall be the promotion of studies of world history through the encouragement of research, teaching, and publication. The association shall promote activities which will increase historical awareness, understanding among and between peoples, and global consciousness. The association will provide help to the teachers of world history and venues for the discussion of both theories of history and methods of study and teaching.

ARTICLE III

Membership in the association shall be open to any person interested in history upon the payment of one year’s dues. Membership in the organization shall be for one calendar year, January 1 to December 31. Any member whose dues are in arrears shall be dropped from the roll. Members who have been so dropped may be reinstated at any time by the payment in advance of one year’s dues. Only members in good standing shall have the right to vote or to hold office in the association. Honorary members of the association may be elected by the SEWHA Council, and such honorary members shall be exempt from payment of dues.

ARTICLE IV (See Amendment 1)

SECTION 1: The elected officers shall be the president, the vice-president/president elect, executive secretary, and treasurer. The vice-president/ president-elect shall be elected to serve a two-year term, after which he/she shall assume the duties of president. The president shall serve a two-year term. The treasurer shall be elected every two years for a two-year term. The executive secretary shall be elected every five years years for a five-year term. All office terms are from January 1 to December 31. Nominations are to be solicited at the annual conference held in the year preceding the appropriate election. Nominations would be mailed to the membership no later than April 15, and returned by May 15. Election ballots would be mailed to the membership no later than September 1, and returned by October 1.

SECTION 2: The president shall preside at meetings of the SEWHA Council and at the business meeting, she or he shall formulate policies and projects for presentation to the Council, and fulfill the chartered obligations and purposes of the association.

SECTION 3: The vice-president/president-elect shall be the president-elect and a member of the SEWHA Council. If the office of president shall, through any cause, become vacant, the vice-president shall thereupon become president.

SECTION 4: The president shall, under the direction of the Council, oversee the affairs of the association, supervise the work of the organization’s committees, assist in the formulation of policies and projects for submission to the Council, execute instructions of the Council, and perform such other duties as the Council may direct. The president will be responsible for all assets of the association and approve all contracts approved by the Council. The president or executive secretary will sign all contracts approved by the Council.

SECTION 5: The executive secretary, by virtue of the Secretariat, shall be the administrative officer of the association. It shall be his or her responsibility, under the direction of the Council, for the continuing operations of the association. The executive secretary or president will sign all contracts approved by the Council. The executive secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Council and all general meetings. He or she shall be responsible for all publications of the association and the association archive. The executive secretary shall be a member of the Council.

SECTION 6: The treasurer shall be responsible for the collection and disbursement of funds at the direction of the Council, and the rendering of accounts at the annual meeting. He or she shall be a member of the Council.

ARTICLE V

SECTION 1: There shall be a SEWHA Council, constituted as follows:
(a) The president, the vice-president/president-elect, the executive secretary and the treasurer 
            (b) Three (3) Members-at-Large, elected by the membership, for two-year terms.

SECTION 2: The Council shall conduct the business, manage the property and care for the general interests of the association. The Council shall fix the amount of dues and the date upon which any change of dues becomes effective. It may appoint such committees as it deems necessary. The Council shall call an annual meeting of the association at a place and time it deems appropriate. It shall, if it chooses, constitute meeting for the dissemination and discussion of academic matters other than at the time of and in addition to the annual meeting. It shall report to the membership on its deliberations and actions through the publications of the association and at the business meeting. Further staffing of the executive offices may be undertaken by the Council at its discretion and with the concurrence of the Executive Committee.

SECTION 3: To transact necessary business in the interim between meetings of the Council, there shall be an Executive Committee composed of the president, the vice-president, the executive secretary, and the treasurer. The Executive Committee in the conduct of its business shall be subject always to the general direction of the Council. The executive Council shall have the administrative responsibility for staffing as provided in Article IX.

ARTICLE VI

SECTION 1: The Council shall call a business meeting, open to all members of the association in good standing, to convene at the time of the annual meeting.

SECTION 2: The business meeting, by a majority vote, may consider resolutions and deal with proposals concerning the affairs of the association, receive reports of officers and committees, instruct officers and the Council, and exercise any powers not reserved to the Council, Nominating Committee, and elected or appointed officers of the association.

SECTION 3: All measures adopted by the business meeting shall come before the Council for acceptance, non-concurrence, or veto. If accepted by the Council, they shall be binding on the association.

SECTION 4: The Council may veto, by an absolute majority of its membership, any measure adopted by the business meeting that it believes to be in violation of the association’s constitution or which, upon advice of counsel, it judges to be in violation of law. The Council shall publish an explanation for each such veto.

SECTION 5: The Council may vote not to concur in any measure adopted by the business meeting. Within ninety days of the Council meeting following the business meeting, the Council shall publish its opinion of each measure with which it does not concur and submit the measure to a mail ballot of the entire membership. If approved by a majority of the members in the mail ballot, the measure shall be binding on the association.
SECTION 6: The Council may postpone implementation of any measure adopted by the business meeting or approved by the mail ballot that in its judgment is financially or administratively unfeasible. The Council shall publish an explanation of each such decision and justify it at the subsequent business meeting.

ARTICLE VII

Amendments to this constitution may be proposed (1) by the Council, (2) by petition to the Council of five percent of the members in good standing or one hundred members in good standing, which ever is less, or (3) by resolution at an annual meeting on a majority affirmative vote of 25 members in good standing. An amendment so proposed shall be reported to the membership by mail at least six weeks in advance of the subsequent earliest annual business meeting for which such notice is possible, and shall be placed on the agenda of that meeting for discussion and advisory note. Thereafter, the proposed amendment shall be submitted to the membership of the association, accompanied by summary statements of the pro and con arguments thereon, for approval or rejection by mail ballot.

ARTICLE VIII

The Council may adopt by-laws consistent with the provisions of the constitution, upon any matter of concern to the association.

ARTICLE IX

Past presidents of the organization become member of the Past-presidents Advisory Council, an honorary council to maintain institutional memory, but without vote.

ARTICLE X

Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under Section 501 (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170 (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).

Upon the dissolution of the association, the SEWHA Council shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the association, dispose of all of the assets of the association exclusively for the purposes of the association in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under Section 501 (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) as the Board of Trustees shall determine.

Amendment 1

The officers shall be the president, the vice-president/president elect, executive secretary, treasurer, program coordinator, conference organizer, and webmaster. The vice-president/president-elect shall be elected to serve a two-year term, after which he/she shall assume the duties of president. The president shall serve a two-year term. The treasurer shall be elected every two years for a two-year term. The executive secretary shall be elected every five years for a five-year term. The webmaster shall be appointed by the president to serve a two year term. The program coordinator and conference organizer shall each be appointed by the president to serve two-year terms. The webmaster, conference organizer, and the program coordinator shall be members of the Council. All office terms are from January 1 to December 31. Nominations for elected officers are to be solicited at the annual conference. Election ballots must be mailed to the membership no later than November 1, and returned by November 15. Election ballots must allow for write-in candidates.

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